


Playing the Part

by Schm0use



Category: Super Junior
Genre: AU, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Crime Drama, Detective Noir, Film Noir, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-03
Updated: 2015-09-03
Packaged: 2018-04-18 21:38:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4721378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schm0use/pseuds/Schm0use
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a wealthy alcoholic is found murdered, can a hard-boiled detective and his street smart partner solve the crime?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Playing the Part

**Author's Note:**

> This whole story kind of just... exists. There's no real setting or time period. The members, similarly, are themselves but not. Think of it as a stage play. 
> 
> Be prepared for excessive 1940s-era dialogue.

The night was cold. Dreary. Wet. Rain lashed the sidewalks outside, sending people running for cover, like felines with bad memories of bathtubs and soapsuds.   
  
And charging hell bent down the street, come hell or high water, towards the KBS Building that was her destination, was one lone figure on a desperate quest… for justice.   
  
***  
  
Inside the KBS Building, the recording for Super Junior’s Kiss The Radio was drawing to a close. The studio was nearly empty, save for three people. A man leaned into the mic.   
  
“…and that was the Wonder Girls’ newest hit, and our last song for tonight, ‘Nobody But You’.” He said in his customary rough voice. “Thanks for joining us tonight.”  
  
His name was Park Jungsoo, but nobody who knew him well called him that, not unless they wanted a fist to the face. They called him Leeteuk.   
  
“See you next time.” Said his partner, one Lee Hyukjae, but known to most as Eunhyuk.   
  
“That’s a wrap.” The PD-nim said. “Good work.” He told them, as he exited the room. The two men leaned back in their chairs. Leeteuk pulled out a cigar.   
  
“Got a light?” He asked. Eunhyuk pulled a lighter out of his pocket, offered it to Leeteuk.   
  
“You know,” Leeteuk said gruffly, puffing away at his cigar. Eunhyuk lit a cigarette of his own, took a long drag. “You did good today, kid. Real good.”  
  
Eunhyuk’s mouth quirked into a small smile. “Think so, huh?”  
  
“Don’t get too worked up about it.”   
  
“I’m not, I’m not…”  
  
The door creaked slowly open, and the two men looked towards it. The PD-nim walked in, looking extremely confused.   
  
“Boys,” He said, then paused. “There’s a… woman? There’s someone here for you. Says it’s urgent.” In a lower tone, he said, “She’s some dame, though.”  
  
Leeteuk and Eunhyuk both straightened unconsciously.   
  
“Show her in.” Leeteuk said.   
  
The PD-nim left again, closing the door behind him, and they heard words mumbled beyond the door.   
  
“Some dame, huh…” Eunhyuk said softly. They only waited a moment longer, before the door pushed open again. The woman walked in.  
  
Leeteuk choked on his cigar, and began coughing violently. Eunhyuk yelped and pushed his rolley chair back rapidly, somehow failed to go with it, and fell forward, off the chair, and to the floor.   
  
“Kangin,” Leeteuk hissed. “What are you doing?!”   
  
“What are you  _wearing?!”_ Eunhyuk wailed from the floor.   
  
“I’m  _in character_.” Kangin said irately.   
  
Eunhyuk moaned weakly, “My eyes…”  
  
“Um.” Leeteuk said awkwardly after a moment. “Well.” He repositioned his cigar in his mouth. “Right.”  
  
Eunhyuk awkwardly picked himself off of the floor.  
  
Leeteuk said, “Continue.”   
  
“Wait,” Eunhyuk said, back in his chair, cigarette dangling from his fingertips once more. “Sorry, can you re-enter? The mood’s gone.”  
  
Kangin rolled his eyes and went back out. There was a moment’s pause while the two men inside the room gathered themselves. Leeteuk looked pointedly at Eunhyuk, who said, “Oh, right.” Then,  
  
“Some dame, huh…” Eunhyuk said softly. They only waited a moment longer, before the door pushed open again. The woman walked in.   
  
Leeteuk leaned forward in his chair. Eunhyuk took a long, slow drag on his gasper, blowing smoke from his nostrils.   
  
The woman was tall, with stunningly blonde, curly hair (it almost looked fake) that fell a little past her shoulders. She was wearing a white blouse and a black skirt—real sharp-looking. But the thing that drew Leeteuk in most was her lips—painted cherry red.   
  
“So,” Leeteuk said, breaking the ice, “Miss…”  
  
“Kim.” The woman answered. “Kim Youngwoon. But… my friends all call me Kangin.”  
  
“Alright.” Leeteuk said. “I’m Park Leeteuk. This is my partner, Lee Eunhyuk. Nice to meet you. Now, Kangin. Tell me, what’s a dame like you doin’ in a dump like this?”  
  
The woman twisted her hands in her lap. “Well… I… I couldn’t just not tell anybody. I had to tell  _somebody_ … but… I don’t think the police would—”  
  
Leeteuk smiled encouragingly. “It’s alright.” He said.  
  
Kangin tried to smile back, couldn’t manage it. “I think… I think someone I know is going to be…” She choked back a sob. “Oh, God…”  
  
Leeteuk came around to her side of the table, knelt by her. “It’s alright.” He said again. “Just tell us so we can help.”  
  
Kangin pulled out a handkerchief and blew her nose, loudly. Leeteuk patted her knee. Eunhyuk clicked his tongue sympathetically.  
  
“I think a man I know—a friend, you could call him… I think he’s going to be murdered!” Kangin cried.   
  
Leeteuk and Eunhyuk exchanged glances.  
  
“What makes you think that?” Leeteuk asked.   
  
“I heard—” Kangin broke off and swallowed. “I heard voices. Voices in one of the rooms by where I live. They were… they were talking about it. About killing him!”  
  
“Do you know who the voices were?”  
  
“No,” Kangin said, gulping down another sob.   
  
“Any ideas?” Eunhyuk pressed.  
  
“I…” Kangin faltered. “There were only two voices. They were saying… I can’t recall exactly, but they were saying once he was out of the way, they could finally be together…”  
  
Leeteuk straightened up.   
  
“I think we’d better head back to your joint.” He said.  
  
***  
  
It was a bumpy ride in their old bucket, but they finally made it back to Kangin’s place. It was in a shady sort of area. Leeteuk and Eunhyuk shared a place nearby, a real seedy dive not far from where Kangin lived. They parked about a block down from her apartment.  
  
“Hm.” Leeteuk said, tossing his cigarette butt off to the side. “Smells like home.”  
  
Eunhyuk grinned from the backseat. “Got that right.”  
  
Leeteuk went around to the side of the car and helped Kangin out.   
  
“You gonna be alright, sweetheart?” He asked. Kangin nodded shakily.   
  
“As long as you can help me… which I’m sure you can…” Kangin looked at Leeteuk admiringly. Leeteuk offered her his arm.  
  
“I’d do anything for you, dollface.” He said, while Eunhyuk made exaggerated expressions of disgust behind them. “Now, what’d’ya say we catch us some hoods.”  
  
They turned the corner onto Kangin’s street.   
  
“What in hell…” Eunhyuk said.   
  
The place was crawling with people, coppers swarming everywhere. They all seemed to be gathered around one area…  
  
“That’s my place!” Kangin gasped. She let go of Leeteuk’s arm and bolted down the street as fast as she could in her high heeled shoes, wobbling uncertainly.  
  
“Kangin!” Leeteuk yelled, chasing after her.   
  
The two detectives followed her to the building, a rather rundown apartment complex known as the Dorm.  
  
“Let me in!” Kangin was yelling. “That’s my house!”  
  
“Listen, we can’t just let in any old plug off the street,” A burly man was saying.  
  
“Hey, hey, take it easy,” Leeteuk said as he reached them. “She’s with us, Shindong.”  
  
“Leeteuk? Eunhyuk?” Shindong said, blinking at them. His real name was Shin Donghee, but nobody with more smarts than a half-wit gorilla would ever call him that.   
  
“Hey, Shin.” Eunhyuk said, flashing a grin. “Mind letting us up?”  
  
“Well, if it’s you boys, I guess that’s fine.” Shindong said, motioning another person over to guard the entrance to Kangin’s apartment.   
  
“What’s the wire?” Leeteuk asked Shindong as they made their way up some steps. Eunhyuk and Kangin followed behind.  
  
“Not sure yet.” Shindong said. “Just got the call. Was about to go check it out when your girl back there ran up to me.”  
  
Behind them, Kangin whispered to Eunhyuk, “You know that cop?”  
  
“Yeah.” Eunhyuk answered. “Never been one for coppers myself, but he’s a right gee, Shindong. We’ve worked with him a couple times… always helps us out.”  
  
They reached the top of the steps and entered the Dorm.   
  
There was just as much of a scene inside as out, although the number of people was a little less.  
  
“It’s all the residents of the Dorm…” Kangin said, voice quavering. “What could possibly…”  
  
They reached the area the crowd was buzzing around.  
  
“Oh  _no_ …” Kangin whispered.  
  
“What is it?” Leeteuk asked quickly.  
  
“‘Scuse us, police coming through!” Shindong called, pushing his way through the crowd, the other three following in his wake.  
  
They reached the door to an open room. In it, illuminated by a single shaft of moonlight, lying prone and still on a bed, was a body. A very clearly dead body.  
  
“Christ…” Eunhyuk murmured. At that moment, there was a loud howl from behind him that drew the entire crowd’s attention to Leeteuk’s group.  
  
“ _HEECHUL_!” Kangin sobbed.  
  
***  
  
They had been too late to save Kangin’s friend.   
  
“They called him Kim Heechul,” Shindong said to Leeteuk. “Because no moron with a brain worth two cents would dare to call him by his real name, which was…” He trailed off. “Oh wait. No. That is his real name.”  
  
The detectives looked over to the bed side. Kangin was crying her eyes out over the body, steadily dampening the sheets around it.   
  
“Poor girl.” Leeteuk said. “If only she’d come to us sooner.”   
  
“Hey, Leeteuk.” Eunhyuk called suddenly. “Get a load a’ this.”  
  
Leeteuk went over to his partner. On the other side of the bed, rolled partway under a dresser, was an empty beer bottle. Leeteuk picked it up carefully. Sniffed it.  
  
“Empty, but it wasn’t opened that long ago.” He said.  
  
“So he was probably outta his senses by the time they got to him.” Eunhyuk summed up.  
  
“What a dirty trick.” Shindong said disgustedly.   
  
“Got that right.” Leeteuk agreed. “Kangin?” He asked.   
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Was Heechul a drinker?”  
  
Kangin nodded. “Yes. He could really hold his liquor though—had a stomach like iron.”  
  
“I see…” Leeteuk mused.  
  
“So Kim was a boozehound, huh?” Eunhyuk said. “You smell something fishy about this business, Leeteuk?”  
  
“Yeah, hang on,” Shindong said. “If Kim was such a drinker, I doubt he’d be out on the roof after just a sip.”  
  
“Right, and I doubt whoever killed him would have attacked him if he wasn’t completely lit.” Eunhyuk agreed. "They wouldn't want the trouble."  
  
“Boys.” Leeteuk said, peering at the bottle closely. “I think we got ourselves a case of poisoning.”  
  
The words were barely out of his mouth, then there was a sudden commotion. All eyes turned towards the doorway as loud voices drifted into the room.  
  
“It  _can’t_  be true, I won’t believe it, not until I’ve seen it with my own eyes—”  
  
“You’ve  _got_  to calm down—”  
  
“Wait, wait, I still don’t… Heechul’s—?”  
  
The voices got louder and more stressed until three more people suddenly burst into the room.   
  
All three instantly froze at the sight that greeted their eyes. One, a tall woman with interesting eyebrows, screamed in anguish.  
  
“NOOOO!”  
  
The other two men simply stared. One of them, a tall man, just looked confused. The other, slightly shorter, said gravely, “So it’s true…”  
  
The woman with the brows noticed Kangin.   
  
“You!” She gasped. Kangin stood defiantly. “YOU!” The woman said again, louder this time, and leapt straight at Kangin. She began pulling at Kangin’s hair and screaming, “You whore! You cheap excuse for a woman! You did this!  _You did this_!”  
  
Leeteuk and Shindong both moved at once. Shindong pulled the tall woman, who fought wildly, off Kangin. Leeteuk pushed Kangin protectively behind him.   
  
“What is going  _on_?” Asked the tall man. He looked like a man who’d just walked into his favorite bar and discovered that all the tables had turned into dancing warthogs.   
  
“I did this?!” Kangin asked, incensed. “I should have seen it from the beginning! It was  _you_!” She said, pointing wildly back and forth between the woman and the shorter man. “ _You_ , Siwon, and  _Kibum_  too!"  
  
“…Siwon and Kibum killed Heechul?” The tall man asked faintly. “Is that why Siwon’s wearing a dress?”  
  
“Wait, Kangin, they’re the ones you heard bumpin’ their gums that night?” Leeteuk asked quickly.  
  
“Yes.” Kangin said determinedly. “I’m sure of it.”  
  
“Bumping… what?” The tall man asked uncertainly.  
  
“That so…” Eunhyuk said, looking over at the two culprits.   
  
“Kangin here says she heard the two of you planning on rubbing out Heechul.” Leeteuk said. “Now, I find it suspicious that you’re the only ones brave enough to come visit the crime scene. What’d’ya have to say to that?”  
  
“Why don’t you start by introducing yourselves.” Shindong told them aggressively.   
  
The shorter man stepped forward. “Kim. Kim Kibum.” He said. He had a strong Brooklyn accent. “Heechul is… was… my best friend. Course when I heard the news, I headed ova’ straight away. Didn’t believe it at first but… here’s the evidence. Loud and clear.”  
  
The woman said shakily, “I’m… I’m Siwon… and I have as much a right to be here as anybody… seeing as how… as how I’m Kim Heechul’s  _wife_!”  
  
The tall man, who had wandered over to the body, whipped around spastically at her words. “You’re his…  _WHAT?!_ ”  
  
“And  _that woman_ ,” Siwon said, voice dripping with contempt, “is nothing more than a cheap bimbo who managed to use whatever  _little_  charm she had to steal my Heechul for herself! But  _I_  know what you were  _really_  after! You were after him for his  _money_ , and once you made yourself his favorite… once he agreed to give you  _everything_ , you  _killed_  him!”  
  
Everyone looked at Kangin. She clenched her fists. “I may not be as  _high bred_  as  _you_ , Choi Siwon.” She said, voice trembling with rage. “But  _I loved_ Heechul, and none of your insults will change that fact!”  
  
“Lies!” Siwon said, voice rising in volume and pitch. “All LIES!”  
  
Kibum said loudly, “Now, let’s all just calm down for—”  
  
“NO!” Siwon screamed at him.   
  
“Don’t try to mask your own guilt!” Kangin said, equally as loudly. It was the catalyst. Siwon broke away from Shindong and attacked Kangin again, but Kangin, ready for it this time, fought back wildly. The room interrupted into chaos.  
  
“Um… everyone?” The tall man called tentatively. “Heechul’s… he’s still breathing.”  
  
Kangin kicked Siwon in the chest. Siwon grabbed the front of Kangin’s blouse, and they both went down.   
  
“I honestly think he’s  _alive_!” The tall man said desperately to the others.  
  
At that moment, in the midst of all the commotion, Heechul’s prone body sat upright. “HANKYUNG!” He screeched. “HAVE YOU NO RESPECT FOR THE DECEASED?!”   
  
Hankyung dove away from the bed in fright, and, unfortunately for him, directly into the catfight between Siwon and Kangin.   
  
“LIE DOWN, YOU’RE DEAD.” Kangin screamed back, still trying to scratch Siwon's eyes out. Hankyung tried to extract himself from the other two, gesturing wildly at Heechul, who huffed and resumed his previous pose.   
  
“Come on now, break it up!” Shindong was yelling. “This is no way for ladies to behave.”  
  
Kangin shoved Siwon off her. “You’re absolutely right, officer.” She said, straightening her skirt. She looked critically at Siwon, who was being helped off the floor by Kibum. “A real  _lady_  would know  _better_ , you’d think.” Kangin turned to Leeteuk. “I’m afraid I’m entirely worn out.” She said. “You have my number, don’t you? Will you call me if anything comes up?”  
  
“Of course.” Leeteuk said.  
  
“Thank you.” She said, laying a hand on his arm. “Goodnight, everyone.”   
  
She strode out of the room, head held high.   
  
“Kibum.” Eunhyuk asked. “Mind telling us how  _you_  heard about Heechul’s death?”  
  
“I’ve been out of town for the past week. I’m in the film business and we’ve been filming for a new drama—anyway, got a call from a friend a little while ago.” He said. “Mutual friends, the three of us, real tight—his name’s Lee Donghae. He was with Heechul that night.”  
  
“I see.” Leeteuk said. “One more thing, Mrs…”  
  
“Please. Call me Siwon.”  
  
“Okay, Siwon then.” Leeteuk held up the beer bottle. “Found this under the dresser. Did Heechul drink often?”  
  
Siwon sighed shakily. “Yes. Yes he did… I always tried to keep him from it… but he never did listen to me…”  
  
“I see.” Leeteuk said again. “Thank you all for your time.”  
  
***  
  
“Sure, I saw Heechul that night.” Lee Donghae said. “What’s it to ya?”   
  
They’d found him in a dingy, smoky joint. Regulars called it the Living Room. He was a real tough character, they could tell from the way he concentrated on the game of Super Smash Bros. he was playing—the NPCs didn’t stand a chance. Like Kibum, he had a thick accent—New York Italian.  
  
“We talked to your buddy, Kim Kibum last night.” Leeteuk told him. “Told us he heard from you that Kim Heechul was dead.”  
  
Donghae paused the game. He stared at the frozen screen for a long moment, then turned to look Leeteuk dead in the eye. “Yeah. Yeah, it was me who told him. So?”  
  
“So we got a lotta suspects in this game, and we were hopin’ you could shed some light on who it might be.” Eunhyuk said roughly.   
  
“Speakin’ of suspects.” Leeteuk said, leaning in. “You don’t seem too torn up over what happened to your friend, know what I mean?”  
  
Donghae laughed humorlessly. “Don’t I?” He asked. “Well. We all got our own ways of dealing with things, I guess.” He downed the glass of whisky in front of him, and motioned for another.   
  
“Look.” Leeteuk said seriously. “You got anything to tell us, or not?”  
  
Donghae stared at his empty glass. Stayed silent until another was set down in front of him. “I got nothing.”  
  
“You sure ‘bout that?”  
  
Donghae nodded.  
  
“Don’t feel like helpin’ your friend, huh?” Leeteuk shook his head. “Honorable.”   
  
Donghae slammed his glass down on the table, hard. “You think it’s like eggs in the coffee, I can just tell you what I saw, easypeasy? Sorry, pal, it don’t work like that. I’d do almost anything for Kim Heechul—the two of us, we was close, drank outta the same glass, see, but…”  
  
“So you did see something.” Leeteuk said. “Something outta the ordinary.”  
  
“Yeah, I saw somethin’ like that.”  
  
“Something? Or some _one?”_  
  
Donghae paused. Gulped some of his whiskey. “…Someone.”  
  
“Who?”  
  
“I dunno if I can tell you that. Hell, I didn’t even tell Kibum.”  
  
“You’re already on the suspects list. You better tell us, or else.” Eunhyuk threatened.   
  
“You better tell us, or whoever killed Heechul walks away scot free.” Leeteuk said quietly. Donghae gritted his teeth, then quickly threw back the rest of the contents of the glass.  
  
“Alright.” He said. He scanned the Living Room surreptitiously then turned back to the detectives. “Alright.” He said again. “But you didn’t hear this from me.”  
  
“Course not.” Leeteuk agreed.   
  
“I wasn’t the last person to see Heechul.”  
  
Leeteuk’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know?”  
  
“Because I was there when the other guy showed up.”  
  
“And you know this guy?”  
  
“Yeah, I know this guy,  _everybody_  knows this guy. That’s why I  _left_  when the bastard showed up.”  
  
“Alright, spit it out.” Eunhyuk said. “Who was it?”  
  
Donghae leaned in, motioning for them to do the same, until they were inches from each other.  
  
“ _Cho Kyuhyun_.” He whispered.   
  
“Son of a bitch.” Eunhyuk said.   
  
“Kim Heechul knew Cho Kyuhyun?” Leeteuk demanded.   
  
“Keep your voice down, wouldja?” Donghae hissed. “Yeah, Heechul knew Kyuhyun—Heechul always liked a bit of danger, thought it was fun. I knew about it, knew they were actually on pretty good terms, see, but that night… I don’t think Heechul was expecting him to show up.” Donghae thought back. “He seemed a little nervous the whole night, actually. Hardly touched a drop. Saw Kyuhyun come in, and told me to scram. Naturally, I had no objections, but… I didn’t think…” He trailed off.   
  
Leeteuk nodded. “That’s more than enough.” He stood, and Eunhyuk followed suit. “Thank you. We’ll let you know what happens.” He put some money down on the table. Donghae looked at him questioningly. “For your drinks.”   
  
“Appreciate it.” Donghae said softly.   
  
They left him there, lost in thought, still staring at the tabletop.   
  
***  
  
“It’s getting pretty late.” Leeteuk said. “How about we call it a night, pick up the trail in the morning?”  
  
“Sounds good to me.” Eunhyuk said, yawning.   
  
They headed back to their own place. Eunhyuk made a beeline for his room as soon as they walked in the door. Leeteuk wanted to do the same, but the events of the night kept replaying themselves in his head… this case just kept getting muddier. He’d hoped going to Donghae might clear some things up, but instead, he now had  _three_  suspects to consider, instead of just two.   
  
He shook his head. Not three.  _Four_. He’d forgotten about Kangin’s involvement in the whole affair, to put it literally. But how could someone so sweet and pure, so naïve and innocent,  _poison_  another person in cold blood?  
  
Someone knocked on the door, interrupting his thoughts.  
  
“Who the hell can that be?” He muttered, making his way to the door. They knocked again.  
  
“I’m coming, I’m coming…” He said, and pulled the door open. “Kangin!”  
  
“I’m sorry,” the woman said, “I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t sleep—”  
  
“Come inside, it’s freezing,” Leeteuk said hurriedly, ushering her in.   
  
He made her tea and they sat down at the table. “What’s on your mind?” Leeteuk asked, although he could make a guess.  
  
Kangin sighed heavily. “Everything.” She said. She looked up at Leeteuk through lowered eyelashes, guiltily. “I’m sorry you had to see that, earlier. Between me and Siwon. I know it must not reflect very well upon my character.”  
  
“Not at all,” Leeteuk said calmly, sipping his tea. “I like a woman who can handle herself well in a fight. And maintain her dignity afterwards. And believe me, you do both very well.”  
  
Kangin blushed. “I’m sorry I hid the truth from you. I know I’m now one of the suspects in the case.”  
  
“Well, be that as it may, we have another, more likely suspect.” Leeteuk measured her up quickly in his mind, and decided to trust her with the latest information they’d received. “We went to see another of Heechul’s friends tonight. Lee Donghae. He told us some interesting things… Kangin, did you know Heechul was a friend of Cho Kyuhyun?”  
  
Kangin gasped. “What?”  
  
“Kyuhyun was the last person to see Heechul that night. He had a drink with him.”  
  
“A drink—you said Heechul was probably poisoned?”   
  
“That’s right.”  
  
“You don’t think… oh, but what reason could Kyuhyun  _possibly_  have for… for…”  
  
“I don’t know.” Leeteuk said. “But I’m going to find out.”  
  
“Oh, Leeteuk, I can’t thank you enough—”  
  
“You don’t have to. It’s my job.” Leeteuk said, and then gave her a small, encouraging smile. “Besides, for a girl like you, I’d do it for free.”  
  
Kangin leaned forward and kissed him.   
  
When she pulled away, Leeteuk simply looked at her. Kangin covered her mouth with her hands.  
  
“I’m so sorry! I don’t know what came over me, I—I’ll leave, now.” She stood abruptly. “Thank you, again, for all your help—”  
  
Leeteuk grabbed her arm. She faltered, and didn’t look at him.  
  
“You shouldn’t walk home at this time.” He said. Kangin looked at him now, wide-eyed.   
  
“I… I really should, I need to go… but I—I don’t want to be alone.”  
  
“I know.” Leeteuk said. And he kissed her back.   
  
Kangin wrapped her arms around his neck, and the kiss deepened, and Leeteuk could feel the world spin.  
  
“We shouldn’t do this here.” Leeteuk said. “Eunhyuk, he lives here… he’s in the other room…”  
  
“ _Oh_. That’s right, I forgot…”  
  
“But my door’s open anytime, dollface.” Leeteuk said, taking her hand and pulling her along behind him.   
  
***  
  
The next morning found Eunhyuk reeling backwards out of his partner’s bedroom, with muttered apologies and the assertion that he needed to talk to him.   
  
“Duty calls,” Leeteuk said softly to Kangin, still asleep by his side. She murmured in her sleep and rolled over. Leeteuk climbed out of bed and dressed hurriedly. He opened the door as quietly as he could, and slipped outside.   
  
Eunhyuk was sitting at the table, arms crossed and staring at him.   
  
“What’s going on?” Leeteuk asked.   
  
“Maybe I should be asking you the same thing.” Eunhyuk said.   
  
“Nah,” Leeteuk said, trying a grin. It had no effect. Eunhyuk kept glaring. “Look, just… don’t follow my example, kid.”  
  
“Yeah, I won’t.” Eunhyuk said. “She’s a suspect, or did you forget that pretty little detail when she agreed to sleep with you?”  
  
“Drop it.” Leeteuk growled. “What’d you come in to tell me?”  
  
Eunhyuk glowered at him a second longer before saying shortly, “Lee Donghae called.”  
  
“What’d he want?”  
  
“Cho Kyuhyun knows we’re onto him. And he’s requested we pay him a visit.”  
  
“That so?”   
  
“Looks like it. We’re due at his place in an hour.”  
  
***  
  
Cho Kyuhyun’s residence was a formidable sort of place everyone just referred to as Kyuhyun’s Bedroom, and left it at that. It was the kind of place you went into wondering if you’d come out alive, or not at all. Leeteuk and Eunhyuk walked up to it like they owned the joint.   
  
Leeteuk knocked. A voice said, “Come in.” and he pushed it open.  
  
They stepped inside, closing the door with a click behind them. It was dark inside the room. Leeteuk and Eunhyuk stood at the doorway stock still, their eyes adjusting to the lack of light. The only source of light was a computer at the other side of the room.  
  
“Ah, detectives…” The same voice said. “How nice of you to drop by.”  
  
There was someone sitting in a chair in front of the computer, but the back of the chair was facing them. Leeteuk also realized with a start that there were two other men in the room, flanking the chair.   
  
“Don’t mind my associates.” The voice said, almost as if he was reading Leeteuk’s mind. “This is Yesung,” He said, and the man on the right stepped forward, inclining his head slightly, “and this is Ryeowook.” This time, the man on the left, a small man, stepped forward. “I usually have them stay in the room for certain… security purposes.”   
  
“Of course.” Leeteuk said. “We just want to ask you a few questions.”  
  
“Fire away.”   
  
“Last night, you were seen in the company of one Kim Heechul.” Leeteuk said brusquely. “Care to explain what you were doing?”  
  
“We had a drink. Some pleasant conversation. That was all.”   
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yes. Why do you ask?”  
  
“Because a couple hours later, Kim Heechul turned up dead, and I can’t think of a likelier person to have killed him then  _you_.”  
  
The chair spun around bringing Leeteuk and Cho Kyuhyun face to face. Kyuhyun was a young man, younger than most people thought he was. He was extremely handsome, but that didn’t make him any less intimidating. He and Leeteuk stared each other down.   
  
“Be that as it may,” Kyuhyun ground out, “I  _didn’t_  kill Kim Heechul.”  
  
“What reason do you have to make me believe that?”  
  
“None.” Kyuhyun said. “None, except for the fact that I had the utmost respect for the man. Not that I can show you that. But it’s the truth.”  
  
If there was one thing Cho Kyuhyun was not, it was humble, and Leeteuk was momentarily thrown.  
  
“Donghae said Heechul was nervous when he saw it was you coming to see him. Why would that be?”  
  
“Another unbelievably simple answer. We had a bet on for that night. For pool. Heechul’s... he was a terrible pool player, he was hoping I wouldn’t actually follow through. He, predictably, lost, so he had to foot the tab for the drink bill. I think he only had one beer through the entire night. A real tragedy, for him.”  
  
Leeteuk raised an eyebrow. Although it could have been planted, it fit the clue found at the scene of the crime.   
  
“Did Heechul take the beer home?”  
  
“He finished it there. Why would he take it home?”  
  
Leeteuk raised both eyebrows. “Just wondering.” Not wanting to push Kyuhyun any further, he nodded. “I think, if that’s all we’re going to be getting from you, we’ll go now.”  
  
“Wait.” Kyuhyun said. “One of your suspects, I heard. It’s that girl, Kangin. Heechul’s woman on the side.”   
  
Leeteuk stiffened. “What about her?”  
  
“You may want to investigate her more thoroughly, detective.” Kyuhyun turned back around to face his computer. “She’s not as innocent as you think. That’s all.”  
  
It was a dismissal, and Leeteuk and Eunhyuk took it as such. They left.   
  
“This keeps making less and less sense. Heechul only had one beer, but finished it at the bar. Then what was that bottle doing at his place?” Leeteuk sighed. “Wanna go for a drink?” He asked. “All this talk has got me thirsty.”  
  
“Yeah.” Eunhyuk said mutedly. Then, “Leeteuk, don’t you think it might be worth taking a closer look at that dame?”  
  
“…Maybe.”  
  
“Oh, come on, I know you’re dizzy with that girl, but—”  
  
“Don’t be a sap, I’m not dizzy with anyone.”  
  
“Yeah, well then, you should be fine askin’ her some questions, shouldn’t you?”  
  
“I’ll investigate her when we get some actual information on her, not just some vague declarations from one of the most dangerous men in the city—”  
  
“That doesn’t mean it can’t be true!”  
  
“Eunhyuk!” Leeteuk snapped. Eunhyuk shut his trap. “Just… let me think things through, alright! Let’s go get those drinks.”  
  
***  
  
“When you said we were getting drinks, I didn’t realize we were working.” Eunhyuk said wryly.   
  
“I figured it might be a good idea.” Leeteuk shrugged. They were standing at the entrance to one of the most popular drinking spots in the area: The Kitchen. “We don’t have to talk to anyone. Just if the occasion calls.”  
  
They walked in. Eunhyuk took one look at the girl mixing drinks behind the counter and swallowed, hard.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Leeteuk asked.   
  
“I didn’t realize Lee Sungmin would be on right now.” Eunhyuk said, jerking his head in the direction of the pretty bartender.   
  
“Bad relationship?”   
  
“No relationship.” Eunhyuk replied glumly.  
  
“Why not?”   
  
Eunhyuk sighed. “She’s already got someone.”  
  
Leeteuk patted him on the back. “It happens.”  
  
They walked up to the bar, Eunhyuk looking determinedly at a TV mounted on the wall. It was currently showing the latest news regarding Heechul’s death.  
  
“What’ll it be, boys?”   
  
Eunhyuk looked over. Sungmin blinked at him, then smiled widely. “Eunhyuk!” She said happily. “I haven’t seen you around here in ages! How’ve you been?”  
  
“Uh… alright, I guess. Got myself a job.” He said.  
  
“Good for you!”  
  
“Thanks. I’ll have the gin and tonic.”  
  
“And a straight whiskey, for me, on the rocks.” Leeteuk put in.  
  
“Sure thing.” Sungmin said, still smiling as she went off to get their drinks. Leeteuk turned to Eunhyuk.  
  
“So she knows you.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“I see.”  
  
Sungmin came back, handed them their drinks.  
  
“So,” Leeteuk said, gesturing at the TV. “Some case, huh? You around the night it happened?”  
  
She hesitated. “Yeah. I was around.”  
  
“You’re foolin’.” Leeteuk said, playing the part of the awed bystander. “So did you see him? Kim Heechul, I mean.”  
  
“He was here. Didn’t talk to him though.”  
  
Leeteuk leaned forward. “Did you see who he was with? The last person he talked to before he… you know…” He made a vaguely violent gesture that may or may not have implied dying.   
  
Sungmin, who’d been cleaning a glass, shakily set it down on the counter.  
  
“Look.” She said. “Look, mister, I can spot a cop a mile away so—”  
  
Leeteuk looked offended. “I’m not a cop.”  
  
“Alright, a cop, or a detective, or whatever, and I know you just want me to tell you what happened. Well, I’m not just gonna spill the beans on whoever—”  
  
“Sweetheart, we already know who was with him. The last person to talk to Kim Heechul was Cho Kyuhyun, we spoke to him already this morning.”  
  
Sungmin looked taken aback. “Then why—”  
  
“He wouldn’t confess to anything. We need evidence.”  
  
“Why should he confess to anything!” Sungmin cried. She caught herself, lowered her voice. “What proof do you have that he’s guilty?”  
  
Leeteuk sat back in his chair, studied her for a second. “He was the last person to be seen with Heechul here.”   
  
“So? Heechul coulda met people outside this bar, couldn’t he?”  
  
Leeteuk considered. “He could have.”  
  
“Then?!”  
  
Leeteuk remained quiet for another moment. Then, “Sungmin.” He said. “What did Heechul drink while he was here?”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Sungmin.” Eunhyuk spoke up for the first time since Leeteuk had started his questioning. “If you help us, it could help  _him_.”   
  
Leeteuk got the feeling he wasn't talking about Heechul.  
  
Sungmin chewed on her bottom lip. Finally, she said,  
  
“A bottle of beer.”  
  
“Are you sure?”  
  
“I’m sure. He always drank so much, I remember thinking how odd it was for him to just stop at one.”  
  
“He took it home with him?” Leeteuk asked.  
  
“No, finished it here.”  
  
Leeteuk nodded. “Alright.” He finished his whiskey. “Thank you.”  
  
Leeteuk stood up to leave. Eunhyuk dunked his drink back and stood to follow.  
  
“It was nice seeing you again, Eunhyuk.” Sungmin said softly. "You should come around more often."  
  
"Yeah." Eunhyuk gave a slight smile. “You sure are Kyuhyun’s girl, aintcha, Minnie?”   
  
She looked at him sadly.  
  
“Yeah. I’m Kyuhyun’s girl.”  
  
***  
  
“I think that’s enough work for one day.” Leeteuk said, once they were back outside.   
  
“We barely did anything.”   
  
Leeteuk glanced at Eunhyuk out of the corner of his eye. The other man was staring at the ground.   
  
“Still.” He said. “I think that’s enough.”  
  
“Alright, sure.”  
  
There was a moment’s pause.  
  
“I should have said something.” Eunhyuk said, taking a deep breath. “About her being Kyuhyun’s… I should have said. I mean, you still got her to talk, but…”  
  
“I’d expect you to hate that bastard a lot more.” Leeteuk said, cutting him off. Eunhyuk looked up at him in surprise.   
  
“Why?”  
  
“He stole your girl, didn’t he? That’s what happened, that’s why she looks guilty when she looks at you, you two coulda had something and he came along with his looks and his smarts and just—”  
  
“It wouldn’t have worked out anyway.” Eunhyuk said. “I pretty much had nothing when I met her… still don’t have much. Kyuhyun, he’s livin’ a real cushy lifestyle, you know? He can take care of her.” He sighed. “That’s why I think he’s worth listening to. He may be a real bastard in general, but… he treats her well. He can’t be as bad as everyone thinks.”  
  
Leeteuk nodded. “That’s one way of looking at it.”  
  
“That,” Eunhyuk said, “is life.”  
  
***  
  
The night progressed quietly. No unexpected visitors. Both men went to bed relatively early, ready to face a full day the next day to make up for the one they’d just had.   
  
Leeteuk flailed in his sleep, the dream he was having not an entirely pleasant one, involving a drunken Eunhyuk attempting to cook and blowing up their living quarters in the process. In his dream, Leeteuk watched Eunhyuk, in slow motion, bring the match closer to the open flame on the stove (which was, for some unfathomable reason, almost completely immersed in a vat of lighter fluid) in panic—he flung out a hand, yelling, “NO!” and someone in the bedroom tripped over something on the floor (a stray pair of pants, more than likely), and ended up knocking over something that sounded suspiciously like his dresser…  
  
Wait.  
  
Leeteuk’s eyes flew open, just in time to catch the receiving end of a view of his entire dresser toppling forward off the wall, as well as someone sprawling across the floor, and possibly unconcious.  
  
“Eunhyuk?” He asked in bewilderment. He leaned over and flicked on the lamp.  _“Yesung!”_  
  
At that moment, his bedroom door flew open, and the overhead light switched on. Eunhyuk had a firm hold on a struggling Ryeowook.  
  
“He  _bit_  me!” Eunhyuk yelled irately, and then noticed the state of Leeteuk’s room, as well as the prone Yesung on the floor.  
  
The two detectives looked at each other, then at the two would-be sneaks, then back at each other. Leeteuk pointed at Yesung.  
  
“Once  _he_  wakes up, we’ve got some questions that need answering.” Leeteuk told Ryeowook severely.  
  
***  
  
Leeteuk opened the front door, to reveal Shindong standing there, trying his best to look fully awake and alert.  
  
“Sorry to call you at this hour. But I think we’ve finally got a solid breakthrough.”  
  
He lead Shindong inside and over to the living room, where the two perpetrators were sitting on the couch.  
  
“What the…” Shindong frowned.  
  
“Cho Kyuhyun’s henchmen.” Eunhyuk said. He looked at Leeteuk and shrugged hopelessly. “I’d say this doesn’t look good for Kyuhyun.”  
  
“Look, if you’d just give us a damn second to explain—” Yesung began, and Shindong cut him off.  
  
“I don’t think you’re in any sort of position to make demands.”   
  
“We’re here for Kyuhyun, but it wasn’t to do anything to the two of you!” Ryeowook asserted. “Kyuhyun’s innocent. We just wanted… to see if we could find anything that would prove that.”   
  
“How would storming our apartment help with that at all?” Eunhyuk asked.  
  
“We wanted to see if you had any other information on any other suspects. Kyuhyun’s smart, he could probably piece it together like that.” Ryeowook snapped his fingers.   
  
“A likely story!” Shindong sneered.  
  
“It’s the truth!” Yesung said desperately.   
  
“Forgive me if I don’t believe you.” Shindong said. He turned to the two detectives. “Good job, boys. I’ll take these two in, and radio some of the others to apprehend Kyuhyun. You can rest easy now.”  
  
“Thanks, Shin.” Leeteuk said.   
  
“Do you think you’ll let Miss Kangin know tonight?”   
  
“There’s no rush.” Leeteuk said. “We’ll call everyone tomorrow. They might as well get a full night’s sleep; it’s almost morning anyway.”  
  
“See you tomorrow then.” Shindong said, as he and another one of his men hauled Yesung and Ryeowook away.   
  
“Glad that’s over.” Said Eunhyuk, once the door had closed behind them.  
  
“Yeah.” Leeteuk murmured. “Let’s get back to bed. Tomorrow’s gonna be busy.”  
  
***  
  
The first person they paid a visit to the next morning was Kangin. The girl was, to put it simply, overjoyed at the news.   
  
“I feel like I can sleep at night again!” She exclaimed. “You don’t… you can’t possibly understand what this means to me. Thank you so very, very much.”  
  
“Just doin' our job.” Eunhyuk said.  
  
“We have to alert everyone else involved in the case of what’s going on,” Leeteuk told her. “Shindong is waiting at the station for everyone to ask a few last minute questions; if you wouldn’t mind heading down… we’ll be there shortly…”   
  
“Of course! I’ll go right away.”  
  
They waited to see her off, then Leeteuk checked his list of addresses. “Next is Kibum—”  
  
Hankyung ran down the street toward them. “Hyung.” He said to Leeteuk.  
  
“—and then Siwon… oh, we have to get Donghae as well…” Leeteuk said.  
  
“And Eunhyuk, this is getting ridiculous. Would you just listen to me?”  
  
“Do you think…” Eunhyuk said tentatively, “Do you think we should tell Sungmin?”  
  
“WOULD BOTH OF YOU JUST. LISTEN.”   
  
“Eunhyuk, do you… do you hear something?” Leeteuk asked.  
  
“I—what? No.” Eunhyuk said, confusion written all over his face.  
  
“Okay. Fine. What do I have to do?” Hankyung asked exasperatedly.  
  
“You’re right, must be my imagination.” Leeteuk said. “After all, I can’t hear and see people unless they’re  _in character_.”   
  
“Oh, you’ve got to be—I don’t even  _have_  a character!”  
  
“Unless,” Eunhyuk said, exaggerated surprise now written all over his face, “unless, it’s like some kind of  _mysterious guide_ , or something…”  
  
“Seriously?”  
  
“It  _just might be_.” Leeteuk said pointedly.   
  
“FINE. Fine, do the damn line again.”  
  
They waited to see her off, then Leeteuk checked his list of addresses. “Next is Kibum—”  
  
“You sure you boys got the right person?” A gravelly voice said. Eunhyuk and Leeteuk both turned. A tall man stood a little ways away, fedora and dark sunglasses casting his face in shadow.   
  
“Who are you?” Eunhyuk asked suspiciously.   
  
“You can call me Geng.” The man said cryptically. “It’s not important. What’s important is, are you sure. You’ve got. The right. _Guy_.”  
  
“Of course we’re sure, his cronies attacked us in our sleep.”  
  
“Did they really?”   
  
“Yeah, I mean… what else could they have been doing there?”   
  
The man laughed. “Maybe that’s the kind of question you should be asking yourself.”  
  
Leeteuk eyed the man hard, sizing him up. “Why are you here?”  
  
“I just want to shed a little more light on the situation. If you’ll let me.”   
  
Leeteuk shrugged. “Why not?”  
  
The man crooked his finger at them, then turned and walked off down the street. The detectives followed.  
  
“Where are you going?” Leeteuk called.  
  
“You’ll see.”  
  
They finally arrived at their destination.  
  
“Kyuhyun’s?” Leeteuk asked. “Why…”  
  
Geng pushed open the door and stepped inside. He flicked on the lights, and pointed at the coffee table—papers were spread all over it. Leeteuk and Eunhyuk approached the table, started rifling through the papers.  
  
“They’re… charts…” Leeteuk said.  
  
“Spreadsheets?” Eunhyuk looked at several of the sheets in his hand. “Graphs, data charts, all kinds of stuff.”  
  
“They’re all about the case.” Leeteuk said. “So? This just proves our point further.”  
  
Geng cracked a smile. “But I think you’ll find, if you look closer…”  
  
“Wait.” Eunhyuk said. “Wait, he’s… right. Look. It’s not just about the case… it’s like… like, he was trying to solve it… himself.”  
  
“And why would he need to do that if he himself was the killer?” Geng asked.   
  
“I don’t…” Leeteuk said uncertainly. A horrible realization was dawning on him.  
  
“Follow me.” Geng said, and he was off again, out of the apartment.  
  
They walked a familiar path, before finally ending up at…  
  
“Kangin’s.” Leeteuk said tonelessly.  
  
“Go in.”   
  
The detectives entered, Geng following behind. “In the bedroom.” He said. “Under the mattress.”  
  
Eunhyuk and Leeteuk exchanged glances… then overturned the mattress.   
  
On the bed frame was taped a small piece of paper. It was a page from a To Do List. It contained just two words.  
  
Leeteuk inhaled shakily. Eunhyuk set his jaw, and turned to Geng.  
  
“How did you know about all this?”   
  
Geng blinked at him.   
  
“You’re not trying to find a Chinese angle on it, are you?” Eunhyuk accused.   
  
“I… _excuse_ me? What—” Hankyung spluttered.  
  
“Oh, come on, Hyuk,” Leeteuk whispered. “That’s a little low, don’t you think?”   
  
“Nonono, it’s actual slang, look—” Eunhyuk pulled out a book entitled  _Slang from the 20s, 30s, and 40s: Become Fluent Today!_  and flipped to a certain page. “It means a strange or unusual twist or aspect to something.”  
  
“What the _hell_.” Hankyung said flatly.  
  
“Sorry, it’s in the book,” Leeteuk apologized, then flapped his hands at him, “Back in character!” To Eunhyuk, he said, “Skip the Chinese angle line.”  
  
Eunhyuk nodded. They turned back to the bed frame.  
  
Leeteuk inhaled shakily. Eunhyuk set his jaw, and turned to Geng.  
  
“How did you know about all this.”  
  
Geng shrugged. “I’m the mysterious guide.”  
  
There was a pause.  
  
“Fair enough.” Leeteuk said. “We need to get back to the police station.”  
  
***  
  
The doors to the police station burst open dramatically. A veritable crowd of people stormed into the station, Leeteuk and Eunhyuk at the front of the mass.  
  
“Where’s Shindong?” Leeteuk demanded of a young officer. “We need to talk to him right now.”  
  
“I’m here, Leeteuk.” Shindong said, coming out of a small office. “What’s going on?”  
  
“Shindong.” Leeteuk said, loud enough for all to hear. “We got the wrong guy.”  
  
“What?!” Everyone chorused.  
  
“It’s my fault.” Leeteuk admitted. “My fault for being blinded by my own stupidity.”  
  
“Who is it?” Donghae asked anxiously.  
  
“I don’t understand.” Kangin said, hurrying to Leeteuk and putting a hand on his arm. “You mean the case hasn’t been solved yet?”  
  
“Oh, no, dollface.” Leeteuk said. He locked eyes with her. “I know who the murderer is.” He lowered his voice, but the room was so silent, everyone in it caught every syllable of his next words. “In fact… I’m looking at her right now.”  
  
There was a split second of shocked silence, and then the entire room erupted.   
  
“This look familiar?” Leeteuk asked, and pulled out a piece of crumpled paper from his pocket: the To Do List. On it, the words:  
  
_Kill Heechul._  
  
“I  _knew_  it!” Siwon screamed.   
  
Leeteuk nodded sadly, gaze still held on Kangin’s face, grip still firm on her arms. “Turned out the wife was right from the start.”  
  
Kangin’s eyes welled with tears. “Leeteuk… you can’t believe… someone must have planted that there.”  
  
Leeteuk shook his head. “I don’t think so… you see Kangin… the clues were all in the beer bottle…”  
  
“What… what do you mean?” Kangin asked.   
  
Leeteuk turned to face everyone else. “Anyone who knew him well will, I’m sure, say the same thing: Kim Heechul… was a drinker. Am I right?”  
  
There was a general murmur of assent at his words.  
  
“Now, on the night he died,” he continued, “Heechul had been out drinking with a friend.” He motioned to Donghae. “But not heavily. Not his usual amount. Right?”  
  
“That’s right, not even close.”   
  
He spun on his heel, began pacing. “Because Kim Heechul had a date to keep. Not with his wife. Not even,” here he looked at Kangin, “Not even his best girl. Heechul was meeting up with Cho Kyuhyun that night—” Leeteuk ignored Siwon’s gasp. “—and he knew he’d made a bet he was probably going to lose. Nothing harmful mind you—you see, the two were actually quite good friends. However, he  _had_  bet that night’s drinks on a round of pool—a game Heechul, apparently, had no skill at. After losing the game, he made good on the bet, but compensated for Kyuhyun’s expensive taste by only having one beer himself.  
  
“Now. As we’ve already stated, Heechul was quite the drinker. It was late by the time they’d finished catching up, Kyuhyun had gone home, and Heechul’d only had about one beer the entire night. It wasn’t sitting well with him. But what could he do? He’d already been with Donghae earlier, and after shoo-ing him out of the bar once Kyuhyun had shown up, he’d wanted to avoid awkward (and no doubt, embarrassing, considering how badly he’d lost) questions. His other best friend, you, Kibum, was out of town. His wife looked down on his drinking habits. Where could he go?”  
  
Leeteuk snapped his fingers. “Of course. His girlfriend’s house.” He turned back to Kangin, whose wide eyes were darting around the room frantically. “Little did he know. Little did he know that sweet and innocent, naïve and pure Kangin… had been craving all that money he had, plotting his death for quite some time now, and he’d given her the perfect chance to execute it.” He began advancing on Kangin. “Heechul, like most men who like to drink, was very particular about his liquor—but that night, he was willing to drink anything, damn near  _anything_ , wasn’t he? You let him pick and choose whatever beer he wanted, and when he left his drink for a second… to go to the bathroom perhaps, or put on some music… you poisoned it. And then, to make yourself seem innocent, you came running to us for help in  _stopping_  the crime you’d just committed yourself.”  
  
“No, it’s not true.” Kangin said.  
  
“It  _is_  true.” Leeteuk said coldly. “You didn’t care about Heechul like you claimed; you didn’t  _love_  him. I may not know much about love, but I know for a fact that it doesn’t involve throwing yourself at other men less than a night after the man you love has died. Like you did with me.”  
  
There was a gasp from the audience. Kangin’s face contorted.  
  
“You bastard.” She spat. “Haven’t you ever heard you’re not supposed to kiss and tell?”  
  
“Well,” Leeteuk said, “I’m pretty sure there’s also a rule somewhere about not murdering people. But who broke that one, huh?”  
  
He turned away from her abruptly. “Take her away. And get Kyuhyun out of his cell. I need to apologize to him and his friends.”  
  
The guards marched Kangin away.  
  
Leeteuk stood staring after them. Suddenly, someone clapped him on the back, hard. It was Eunhyuk.  
  
“You did good today, kid.” He said, grinning. “Real good.”  
  
Leeteuk cracked a smile. “Think so?”  
  
“Hey,” Eunhyuk said, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket. “Don’t get too worked up about it.”  
  
“I dunno…” Leeteuk said. “I think I may have a right to, you know?”  
  
Eunhyuk smiled. “Yeah. Yeah, I know.”  
  
Leeteuk rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Hey.” He said. “Wanna go for a drink?”  
  
Eunhyuk lit his cigarette. “Yeah.”

 

END.

  
  
(In the background, Hankyung asked forlornly, “Is it done? Was that… the end? To… to whatever this…  _can we stop now?_ ”  
  
Everyone ignored him.) 


End file.
